Martin Luther King Jr. warned that “the long arc of the moral universe bends toward justice” but it is not easy. However, he did not predict it would be this long. The end of Jim Crow lynchings, burnings and intimidations slowly disappeared with the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, resulting in landmark legislation and historical Supreme Court decisions.
Racial justice seemed on a path to realization, until last year with the vicious homicide of George Floyd seen by millions. Justice has been slowed, if not stopped, along the “long arc” in King’s metaphor. In our country, expression of systemic white racial hatred has led to centuries of violence toward African Americans. Yet, just maybe, with the Black Lives Matter movement, it appears something has awakened in white people to demand changes be made in police training, educational opportunities, housing policies and many other public programs that discriminate against African Americans. However there is one important step that is still needed to build solid, sustainable racial justice in America. What is that missing piece? Join the UUFC Zoom show on Sunday to find out.
Rev. Tom Lewis is a UU minister ordained by his home congregation – HUUF. He returned in 2020 to live near family, and is gladly renewing old friendships and becoming active in HUUF, as well as continuing his social action engagements in the U.S. and abroad.
April 4th 2021 – 11:00 am